Sunday, April 15, 2012

Rock the Tabla

Rock the Tabla features Egyptian mainstay Hossam Ramzy and a gaggle of "special guests" on a mission to ... rock something or other.

Aside from the song "Six Teens," this is almost instantly forgettable as it lacks soul. What is supposed to be a release full of "electrifying rhythmic collaborations" is nothing more than an extended jam session with artists who are better off as background musicians.

Harsh words? Yes. But true. Ramzy can sometimes create some magic. I've heard it on other releases. Here, however, his music is background material, as is that of the music of his special guests. This is surprising when you realize the idea behind this release was floating around for a decade before it ever got made. Perhaps ten years ago it seemed like a good idea. Now, however, it falls far short of anything that could even be considered interesting.